Sakib Sharaf Protik, an economics graduate from EconomicsDU has recently received a full free scholarship from Virginia Tech for Economics PhD program (majoring in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics). We, from ECA, had a conversation with him and asked a few questions regarding the whole process from taking preparations to applying and finally getting the scholarship. Let's begin!
1. When did you start thinking about pursuing a PhD?
From the start of my Undergrad, I had aspirations for higher studies abroad. But initially, I wanted to do a Master’s, not Ph.D. Then I also searched for Econ programs worldwide and found that most of the Master’s programs are self-funded. So, funding opportunities prompted me to go for Ph.D.
2. What was the motivation behind this thinking?
My ultimate goal is to have a career in research and academia so I applied for the Ph.D. programs in the US.
3. What was your profile? [CGPA + GRE + IELTS/ TOEFL+ Publication]
My CGPA was 3.69. Scores in GRE were (Verbal Reasoning-150, Quantitative Reasoning 169, and AWA 3.5). IELTS score was 8 (Reading-8.5, Listening-8.5, Speaking-7.5, and Writing-6.5). I had no publication/paper.
4. How about your work experience, internship, research assistantship etc.?
I had no work or research experience. But I recommend having some exposure to work or research. However, it's optional. It makes the profile more competitive, but it’s not the only criteria. If the overall profile is good enough, then I'd suggest there’s nothing to fear.
5. Tell us about your GRE experience. How did you prepare for quantitative reasoning? What were the materials covered?
I took serious preparations for 1 month. I focused on quant mostly and overlooked verbal as I didn’t have much time. I took help from Magoosh videos and Gregmat was my ultimate savior. For aspirants, I'd suggest you to buy a Gregmat+ subscription for 5$/month and I think it'll help tremendously. Finally, I'd say that one needs to take wholehearted preparation for at least 2-3 months to get a good GRE score and by no means should I be idolized. But yes, if one has good basics then GRE is going to be a piece of cake I believe.
6. How many schools did you apply to and from how many schools did you get acceptance? Cost of applications?
I applied to 8 universities in total and got accepted by 3 of them. On average, it costs around 60-70$ per university. I'd also suggest contacting the Grad coordinator before applying, in some cases; they'll waive the application fee. I got waivers from 3 universities. At least for the USA, asking never hurts.
7. Were all of your recommended PhD holders? How did you get them to write strong letters for you?
Two of my recommenders were Ph.D. holders and one of them was pursuing one. I contacted them via email. I had very little time to gather recommendations but the teachers were very helpful and without their support, it wouldn’t have been possible I believe.
8. You do not have the master’s degree yet you got into such a prestigious place. So, what is the added value of the master’s here in EconomicsDU?
In this modern world, economics is a very rigorous field and a Master’s from DU will give students a taste of the quantitative aspects of modern economics. However, for the USA, they offer coursework for the first 1-2 years, so a Master’s is optional.
9. What was your Strategy of writing the Statement of purpose?
Just be frank. They want to see the intent and drive. And be professional in your SOP. See some sample essays but write with your own words. I wrote my SOP within 2 days, but I'd suggest spending at least a month and be sure to reevaluate from experienced people. A strong SOP helps quite extraordinarily.
10. When did you take the tests and when did you apply?
I gave IELTS on Nov 2, 2019 GRE on Jan 7, 2021. Applied to 5 universities within Jan 15, 2021 Rest of the universities within Feb 1, 2021. I gave GRE a bit late, I urge aspirants to give these tests within November at least.
11. Why did you choose Virginia Tech? Any particular research interest/ liking of acertain professor's work or something else?
Virginia Tech has a strong interdisciplinary research sector and they are also developing Big Data Analytics in which I am interested. I also had a couple of good chats with Dr. Bose from VT and I was convinced that this could be a suitable place to flourish for me.
12. Why USA and why not Europe or UK?
Initially, I also wanted to go to Europe but for Ph.D. most of them wanted a Master’s which I didn’t have. And also, the USA is the dream country for research in the field of economics. Overall, it seemed like a good fit for my career path and hopefully, this new experience will help me to achieve my goals.
13. What is your general advice for future PhD applicants?
My advice would be to be mentally prepared for all hurdles that may come your way. Never lose hope. Make your application package ready within December and apply. For econ, it's a little bit easy as we don't need to manage professors beforehand. For younger people, enjoy your undergrad life and if possible, get some job or research experiences in the related field. Get some good scores in the standardized tests and have a good SOP then no one can stop you. If you want to know anything, just google it. More often than not, Google has the answers. Mail Grad coordinators; they're always there to help. Ph.D. is a very big commitment, but the result should be sweet. This drive and motivation can solve all the problems. Good Luck!
